Dr. Yu Ru Yuan, MD, (Ruby Yuan-Ling)
- Published: January 5, 2017
Dr. Yu Ru Yuan, MD, (Ruby Yuan-Ling)
During her childhood, China was in great turmoil. Despite the fact that her father was a prominent physician, her own early life after the death of her mother became miserable due to an abusive stepmother. She and her brothers followed in their scholarly father’s footsteps, and all siblings excelled academically. She was seventh in all of China for her graduate entrance exams. While at medical school, she met her husband, Dr. Ping Chung Ling. She came to the United States in 1948.
Dr. Yuan practiced pediatrics in the Beavercreek area from 1961 until her retirement at age 84. She was dedicated to her patients and much beloved in the community. Her sad childhood gave her a deep empathy for others, with a particular sensitivity for the underdog and tenderness toward children. Dr. Yuan also had a deep love of music, sang beautifully, played guitar and studied violin throughout her life. She was an accomplished ballroom dancer and won many competitions. She also loved to garden and beautify her farm with flowers and trees and would don an old straw hat, jump onto her Massey-Ferguson tractor and spend many contented hours bush-hogging. She worked hard to bring over many of her relatives from China after 1981, and had an especially close bond to her brother James due to the unhappy childhood they shared.
She is survived by her three daughters, Stella Ling M.D. (Steven Black M.D.), of Berkeley, Calif., Audrey Ling and Leisa Ling (Ray Bleicher), of Xenia, Ohio; her five grandchildren, Benjamin Black, Ph.D. (Carolyn Daly), Julia Ling, Ph.D. (Sushant Shankar), Eliana and Olivia Ling and Jonathan Bleicher; one great-granddaughter, Eden Eleanor Black; one brother, John Yuan, M.D. (TianWe Xiang, deceased), of China; her sister-in-law, Su Ni (Bing Lin, deceased); and nieces Stephanie (Mike) Slone, Jenny Yuan (Chen Lee Nee), Guangming Yuan (Peter Zheng), Nancy Yuan (Qiang Liu), Guang Zhong Yuan (Lifang Bian), Guangyao Yuan (Hongqi Wang), Alice Lin (Qiu Zhoumon), Barbara (Jin) Wang and Camila (Randal) Dannenfelser, and happily many grand- and great-grand-nephews and nieces.
Dr. Yuan had a special place in her heart for treasured and loved friends Mrs. Lois Stanford, of Beavercreek; Mr. Xiaodong Tian, of New Zealand; and Ms. Marjorie Cline (deceased), who was her violin teacher and friend for many years.
She loved the Beavercreek Xenia Community, and esteemed her patients and colleagues. She also had many friendships in the Dayton Area Chinese Association, and loved to cook cold spicy noodles, egg rolls and fried rice for parties and picnics, many of which she held at her home.
A Celebration of Life will be held from 6–8 p.m., with service beginning at 6:30 p.m., on Saturday, Jan. 7, at Bethel Community Church, 1020 Lower Bellbrook Rd. Xenia, with Pastor John Lockwood officiating. To all whose life she has touched in her special way, you are invited to attend.
Online condolences can be made at http://www.mccolaughfuneralhome.com. (Services in care of McColaugh Funeral Home, Inc. 826 N. Detroit St., Xenia.)
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